You can now deploy a failovercluster without network name dependencies on Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). Using this deployment method enables you to create a failover cluster without the previously required permissions to create computer objects in AD DS or the need to request that computer objects are pre-staged in AD DS.

When you create a cluster by using this deployment method, the cluster network name (also known as the administrative access point) and network names for any clustered roles with client access points are registered in Domain Name System (DNS). However, no computer objects are created for the cluster in AD DS. This includes both the computer object for the cluster itself (also known as the cluster name object or CNO), and computer objects for any clustered roles that would typically have client access points in AD DS (also known as virtual computer objects or VCOs).

Before you create the failover cluster, make sure that the servers that you want to add as cluster nodes meet the following prerequisites: